BILL NUMBER: SB 566	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Senator Escutia

                        FEBRUARY 19, 1999

   An act to add Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 124950) to Part 4
of Division 106 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to school
health programs.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 566, as introduced, Escutia.  School health programs.
   Existing law includes various programs to provide primary health
care services to the people of California.  Existing law also
provides health care services and health coverage to families and
children meeting specified requirements, through the Medi-Cal and
Healthy Families programs.
   This bill would declare legislative intent to enact legislation
that will enable school districts to develop partnerships with public
or private health care organizations to ensure that students receive
preventative and primary medical treatment in a timely and efficient
manner, including by supporting school programs in increasing the
number of eligible schoolage children enrolled in the Medi-Cal and
Healthy Families programs, and by requiring the Medi-Cal and Healthy
Families managed care programs to include within their provider
networks those school health programs that provide primary medical
care.
   Vote:  majority.  Appropriation:  no.  Fiscal committee:  no.
State-mandated local program:  no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 124950) is added to
Part 4 of Division 106 of the Health and Safety Code, to read:

      CHAPTER 8.  SCHOOL HEALTH PROGRAMS

   124950.  It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation
that will enable school districts to develop partnerships with public
or private health care organizations to ensure that students receive
preventative and primary medical treatment in a timely and efficient
manner.  It is the intent of the Legislature that this legislation
do all of the following:
   (a) Provide support for school programs to increase the number of
eligible schoolage children enrolled in the Medi-Cal program (Chapter
7 (commencing with Section 14000) of Part 3 of Division 9 of the
Welfare and Institutions Code), and the Healthy Families Program
(Part 6.2 (commencing with Section 12693) of Division 2 of the
Insurance Code).
   (b) Expand health resources available to students in schools.
   (c) Require the Medi-Cal and Healthy Families managed care
programs to include within their provider networks those school
health programs that provide primary medical care.  These school
health programs shall be included in a manner, and upon terms and
conditions, that are no less favorable than those that are extended
to any other network primary care provider of pediatric and
adolescent ambulatory care.  The State Department of Health Services
shall facilitate the integration of school health programs into these
networks.
   (d) Require Medi-Cal and Healthy Families managed care
organizations to provide documentation of the efforts made to include
school health programs as network providers.